The Whiskey Lore® Podcast

What could a grain commonly used to make whiskey have to do with the Salem Witch Trials? In 1976, a California graduate student made headlines with a theory suggesting that the strange behavior of Salem's accusers might have been caused by a poisonous fungus growing on rye. Scientists challenged the theory, and historians largely dismissed it. But was the explanation really so easy to rule out? Could something as ordinary as a contaminated grain have helped set off one of the darkest chapters in early American history?

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/rye-madness-and-the-salem-witch-trials

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Join me for a conversation with whiskey maker Ari Sussman as we dive into the story behind Whiskey JYPSI, co-founded by Raj Alva and singer-songwriter Eric Church, learn about Ari's path into the industry, from politics to winemaking in France, international bartending, and eventually studying at Michigan State University's pioneering distilling program under the late Dr. Kris Berglund.

We'll talk about Berglund's quiet influence over the modern craft distilling industry, the Rosen rye project (a historic grain varietal with deep ties to Michigan and MSU), and the philosophy behind Whiskey JYPSI's products, using their Tribute, Explorer, and Legacy whiskeys as examples to illustrate the brand's focus on storytelling through grain, wood augmentation, and innovative blending.

Enjoy the return of the long-form interview on Whiskey Lore.

Ask who was responsible for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 and you're likely to hear the name Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. After all, the Kentucky distiller is celebrated for helping protect whiskey drinkers from the questionable spirits being sold in the late nineteenth century. But when you go back to the newspaper accounts and congressional debates surrounding the law, a different story begins to emerge. Was Taylor really the driving force behind the legislation? And was protecting consumers even the reason the law was proposed?

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/the-hero-of-the-bottled-in-bond-act-of-1897

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Ask why American whiskey fell out of favor in the 1970s and '80s and you're likely to hear that Bourbon had become Grandpa's drink. Younger drinkers wanted something different. But was it really that simple? With today's whiskey industry facing its own slowdown, predictions of another whiskey depression are making headlines. Yet a look back at the decades following Prohibition reveals an industry making some curious decisions of its own. Could the real lessons of the last whiskey slump be hiding somewhere other than changing consumer tastes?

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/are-we-heading-toward-a-1980s-style-whiskey-depression

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Some whiskey history books credit an English colonist named George Thorpe with making America's first corn whiskey in Virginia around 1620. And there is evidence that seems to support the claim, including a letter mentioning a drink made from Indian corn and an old copper still listed among his possessions. But does having the ingredients and equipment mean he actually distilled whiskey? And what might a mysterious collection of barrels, discovered after a tragedy at his plantation, tell us about the origins of American whiskey?

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/did-george-thorpe-distill-americas-first-corn-whiskey

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Florida's Emerald Coast may be known for beaches and sunshine, but just north of Destin, two neighbors turned an engineering mindset and a love of brewing into one of the state's most inventive distilleries. In this episode, Drew Hannush heads to Timber Creek Distillery to meet co-founders Cam Ford and Aaron Barnes and discover why they chose to distill grains separately, embrace Florida-grown ingredients, and invite visitors to become blenders themselves.

• How a Silicon Valley engineer and a homebrewer became distillers • Why Timber Creek borrowed ideas from Scotland instead of Kentucky • Building a distillery around brewing equipment and a traditional worm condenser • Florida-grown rye and discovering the Sunshine State's terroir • Distilling grains separately and blending whiskey after aging • The story behind Florida Whiskey and Southern Reserve • Creating a 100% Florida rye whiskey • How their bourbon blending kits became a hit during the pandemic • Bourbon blending experiences and creating your own whiskey profile • Wine and chocolate pairings, cigar rolling, and axe throwing • Exploring Florida's Emerald Coast and the Panhandle whiskey scene • Plus, Drew shares his three reasons why Timber Creek Distillery deserves a spot on your Whiskey Lore Wish List

📍 Timber Creek Distillery Crestview, Florida

Travel maps, distillery information, and trip-planning tools for more than 1,000 whiskey destinations can be found at WhiskeyLore.org/flights.

What started with two Columbus entrepreneurs and a vision for building something local has grown into one of Ohio's largest and most influential distilleries. In this episode, Drew Hannush visits Watershed Distillery to meet cask manager Ryan Venrick and brand ambassador Tommy Householder and discover how a community-driven startup became a destination for bourbon, gin, apple brandy, and one of the most unusual liqueurs you'll find anywhere.

• How Watershed helped launch Columbus's modern distilling scene • Why community and local ingredients are at the heart of the distillery • The story behind Watershed's name and Ohio roots • From vodka and gin to one of Ohio's leading bourbon producers • Sweet mash bourbon and evolving mash bills • Exploring the rickhouse and the science behind maturation • Apple brandy made from Ohio apples and finished with American oak • Supporting Ohio cooperages and keeping production close to home • The story behind Nocino, a black walnut liqueur inspired by an Italian family recipe • Tasting whiskey surrounded by thousands of barrels in the "barrel fort" • Exploring Columbus and the growing Central Ohio distilling scene • Plus, Drew shares his three reasons why Watershed Distillery deserves a spot on your Whiskey Lore Wish List

📍 Watershed Distillery Columbus, Ohio

Travel maps, distillery information, and trip-planning tools for more than 1,000 whiskey destinations can be found at WhiskeyLore.org/flights.

Enjoy this entertaining discussion or take the FULL TOUR and hear us taste each of their Bourbon expressions, gin, and apple brandy, plus get deeper stories with a 7-day free trail of the Whiskey Lore Speakeasy at patreon.com/whiskeylore

Most people come to Cooperstown for baseball, but they may leave talking about whiskey. In this episode, Drew Hannush strolls through the village that gave rise to America's pastime before heading to Cooperstown Distillery to meet founder Gene Marra. Together, they explore the marriage of baseball and spirits, the philosophy behind New York whiskey, and why one chef-turned-distiller believes cold-weather maturation creates flavors you won't find anywhere else.

• How a restaurateur and chef found his way into distilling • Why Cooperstown became the perfect home for a baseball-inspired distillery • The story behind the famous baseball decanters and sports-themed bottles • New York grain and Gene Marra's vision for distinctive bourbon • Using three barrel sizes to shape flavor and maturation • Four-grain bourbon and the role of oats in creating a creamy mouthfeel • New York rye whiskey and balancing spice with corn sweetness • Touring the cellar and tasting whiskey straight from the barrel • An award-winning American single malt and the Solera sherry finishing system • Why Gene believes New York whiskey offers something different from Kentucky bourbon • Baseball memories, Yogi Berra, and growing up near Yankee Stadium • Exploring Cooperstown, Main Street, memorabilia shops, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame • Plus, Drew shares his three reasons why Cooperstown Distillery deserves a spot on your Whiskey Lore Wish List

📍 Cooperstown Distillery Cooperstown, New York

Travel maps, distillery information, and trip-planning tools for more than 1,000 whiskey destinations can be found at WhiskeyLore.org/flights.

Members of the Speakeasy can hear an extra 20 minutes of interview time, including a dive into New York's cooper who is gaining a great reputation, and we'll taste an Apple Brandy and see what the Europeans thought of that. Check it out at patreon.com/whiskeylore. Sign up for a 7-Day Free Trial.

Visit GlenDronach Distillery in the Scottish Highlands and you might hear an unusual story about its founder, James "Cobbie" Allardes, and the ladies of the night who supposedly helped make his whisky famous. It's an entertaining tale, but how much of it is true? And what happens when you set the legend aside and start digging into the life of the man behind it? As it turns out, the real story of GlenDronach's early years may be even more surprising than the one told on distillery tours.

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/the-story-of-glendronach-and-the-ladies-of-the-night

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Vermont is famous for maple syrup, but in Quechee, one distillery found a different way to put the state's signature ingredient to work. In this episode, Drew Hannush visits Vermont Spirits Distilling Company to meet head distiller and COO Don Kolp and explore a world where maple becomes vodka, gin spends years in bourbon barrels, and bourbon gets just enough maple to remind you where it came from. Along the way, you'll discover one of New England's most distinctive distilling experiences.

• How Vermont Spirits became the state's oldest craft distillery • The origins of maple vodka and turning sap into spirits • The legacy of Harry Gorman and the creation of Harry's Cocktail Lounge • Inside the unique glass column still and custom-built distillery • Why maple vodka delivers vanilla and butterscotch instead of maple syrup flavors • Barrel-aged gin and why whiskey drinkers may find themselves converted • The story behind Number 14 Bourbon and Vermont's place in American history • Adding maple to bourbon without overwhelming the whiskey • Barrel-aged vodka and other experimental spirits on the horizon • Upcoming barrel tastings and fill-your-own-bottle experiences • Exploring Quechee, the Connecticut River Valley, and New England distillery country • Plus, Drew shares his three reasons why Vermont Spirits Distilling Company deserves a spot on your Whiskey Lore Wish List

📍 Vermont Spirits Distilling Company Quechee, Vermont

Travel maps, distillery information, and trip-planning tools for more than 1,000 whiskey destinations can be found at WhiskeyLore.org/flights.